Hi, guys! How have you been doing? I'm really, really sorry for not updating more recently, but I had too much homework lately, and yeah, I kinda wish I could just stop apologizing for not updating and simply update, but...

TO EVERYONE WHO HAVE COMMENTED I WILL ALWAYS RESPOND HERE IN THE BEGINNING! I AM GOING TO NUMBER THE THINGS I WANNA SAY AND ANNOUNCE AFTER MY RESPONDS TO YOUR REVIEWS!

IdioticLaptopUser, DUDE, I literally live for your comments. You're just so sweet and you don't know how happy your reviewing is making me! I know that at least one person enjoys the story and it makes me so happy ^^ And, yes Alvida is the demented ghost! At first I really wondered who should be it, because being silly me, I wrote the chapter with the description of the mental ghost before I actually have decided who will be the demented ghost. Silly, right? And I had to search, and search for a character who matches the description I gave and yeah... Oh, and it was so sweet what you wrote in your second review - that you don't want me to burn myself out with another fic! Hope you enjoy this chapter, please keep reviewing and if you have any ideas, please share them, because how you can see, I don't really plan every chapter and I just go with the flow. Have a nice day, hon! xoxo

2. By the way, I really think that some kind of connection between the author and the readers it's nice, so if any of you want, you can write me a PM, asking me questions, and if they're not too inappropriate or too personal and revealing who am I, I'll be happy answering them! OR I CAN CREATE A FORUM! Do you think something like this would be a nice idea or I'm just being silly? Let me know ^^

3. I have a birthday, coming up soon! 21 of June! I'll try to update the next chapter then for you! xoxo


"I-I..u-um…" stuttered Luffy out, nervously playing with the wet plastic material of the raincoat. There were droplets rolling down its thin fabric, slowly falling down on the wooden floor.

The boy was standing with his back to the glass staircase, facing his big brother with his head bowed down. Ace was watching him intently with arms crossed over his broad chest, which was cladded with a tight, white T-shirt. He was wearing grey pyjama bottoms that, from what Luffy had see from the waistband in the brief second he dared to look at his brother, were Calvin Klein. The boy was anxiously doing his best to not move in the slightest. Beads of cold sweat were starting to form on his back. He could feel Ace's piercing gaze burning a whole in his head.

"I-I w-was, u-um, ju-ust in the l-l-library," said Luffy, the vexation clear in his tremulous voice. He bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut of dread. Ace didn't respond with anything. A heavy silence settled between them. The raven-haired boy could sense how his whole body was staring to tremble and his bottom lip to quiver. He just wanted to disappear. His brother was obviously angry with him and Luffy could feel a beating coming.

He squeezed his eyes even tighter, feeling how the big X-like scar on his chest was beginning to itch. It was a fairly old wound and it wasn't possible for it to actually itch, but Luffy could feel how the memories of the pain, the insults, the hits, the burns and the cuts were slowly and mercilessly eating away his long ago healed skin. If he could just forget everything. But no. The past was going to chase him forever and the scars, scattered all over his body, were always going to be there to remind it to him.

Luffy opened his eyes and looked at his soaked, worn-out shoes. A bitter smile found its way on the raven-haired boy's lips. His face acquired blank expression, his eyes turning dull and glassy. As if the life had been drown out of them.

Well, I guess I deserved everything back then and I deserve it now too.

He guessed that if his grandfather had done those things to him, probably he merited it and if Ace decided now to beat him up, he would have merited it.

Yeah, that's right. I deserve it.

Those 3 words were always echoing in his head. They were like unremitting mantra that Luffy used to explain everything happening in his life. Pessimistic but true. The corners of his mouth moved slightly upwards, widening his wry smile.

"Until now?"

Ace's rhetorical question took Luffy out of his trance and the boy blinked, coming back into reality and again, he was his usual stuttering self.

"I-I got l-lost a-and I-I c-couldn't f-find t-the w-way b-back a-at fi-irst, u-um…"

His big brother eyed him from head to toe, taking in his soaked appearance, and after a few seconds said, "Change your clothes and go to bed." After which Ace went past him and started climbing the stairs, moving his shoulders in circular motion and limbering up. Luffy looked at his back guiltily, being pretty sure he had woken him up. The boy could feel the culpability making his stomach clench. He bit his lip.

Luffy stayed there for a few more seconds and suddenly realized that he probably should do what his big brother had told him to do. He hurriedly went upstairs, being careful to not make any noise.

The boy managed to soundlessly reach his room. He turned on the lighting and looked around. His coal black eyes scanned the room for clean clothes and a towel. They landed on the white towel which he had carelessly thrown to the ground in front of the glass wall when he was drying his hair previously this day. Luffy went and lifted it of the floor. It was still damp. The boy sighed. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all to just leave it there. Now he had to find another. The problem was that he wasn't entirely sure where Ace stored them. He had found this one on top of his bed yesterday and his big brother didn't tell him anything more about those things.

Actually when he was thinking about it know, Ace didn't explain him too about how to use the washing machine and the dry-house. Well, indeed, he told him to ask if he had questions about something in the house, but Luffy didn't really think it would be a great idea to go and bother his brother right now. Instead, he started rummaging through every place possible in his room for a towel.

His room was actually really nice. And luxurious. Something with which Luffy was really unfamiliar. Back then at his hometown, when he used to live with his grandfather, his room was 4 or more times smaller than this one and consisted of a shabby single bed with a dirty mattress that had probably sunk long before he was born, of an old metal desk with a scratched surface, a chair of the same material and a single bedside table, which was barely standing, with two drawers for his clothes. But now…

In Luffy's eyes this room was enormous. Aside of the imposing glass wall, there was his king-sized bed which was white and had sheets in the same color and how he had discovered last night it was extremely soft and comfortable. On its sides there were placed two white bedside tables in which Luffy had already arranged his clothes. He didn't have a wardrobe but he didn't really need one, because his clothes for sure weren't enough to fill even a third of one of the smallest wardrobes existing. There also was a big white mat, sprawled on the dark wooden floor that the raven-haired boy was sure was going to become an object of many naps. And speaking of naps… Luffy yawned and sleepily rubbed his eyes. Sleeping sounds soo nice.

He suddenly straightened up his back and pulled at his puffy cheeks a few times in order to wake himself up. I'm not sleeping, before I take a shower! mentally said the boy, blinking a few times.

Luffy started ransacking his room faster. There was the big hall-stand next to the door with a wooden wall cupboard for his shoes. Ace had told him to take off his shoes and carry them to his room, unless he was going to wear them the next time he was going out and if so, that he could leave them in the hallway next to the front door.

Thinking of which, Ace is actually a pretty tidy guy. He really doesn't like something to not be at its place.

The boy had to be careful to not create a mess if he didn't want to make his big brother angry.

He had a balcony too, on which he still hadn't gone. The lighting was built in the ceiling and he had buttons next to his bed to turn it off and on. There was his white desk with a nice snivel chair that had a white pillow on it. Speaking of pillows, there were a few big, fluffy ones scattered on the floor for him to sit on, if he wanted to. Across his bed was placed an enormous TV screen, which was taking a third of the white wall and next to it, there was an outline of a door or something like that, but Luffy decided he won't be curious, because if his brother hadn't told him about it, it was none of his business.

A sudden noise coming from above drew his attention. Luffy looked up. It was coming from the ceiling. No, not from the ceiling. Exactly there was the loaf. The boy narrowed his eyes and wrinkled his forehead when he heard the same strange noise again. It was like the rackling of footsteps. But oddly enough, it was like the clatter of child's or even baby's feet. And there was it again.

Luffy stood without stirring, breathing slowly and silently. The warm air was coming lazily and without a sound from his slightly opened mouth. Long time ago the boy had learnt that this way you're creating less noise. Good to know, if you had been raised by an abusive grandfather, who worked as a part of the military and was also a really heavy drinker.

The rattling didn't repeat again. Luffy stared at the ceiling a few more seconds and decided to believe it was a rat. He just didn't have enough energy to make investigations or to freak out right now.

In the end he gave up on searching those towels and just took some clean clothes with him to the bathroom. He was going to be fine with the damp towel. After going in there he went in the small laundry-room, which he just decided to name like this, and threw his clothes in the laundry-basket.

Jeez, if I throw my clean clothes like this I'll have to learn to use the washing machine soon. The boy sighed. This already was his last clean pair of jeans. Yup, the washing machine definitely would be figured out tomorrow. Well, he would have to figure it out if he wanted clean clothes. Luffy just hoped he wouldn't flood the floor. Or the house.

When he was about to leave and go to finally take a shower, he saw that there was a cupboard built in one of the walls. Many cupboards actually. And the reason he hadn't noticed them before, was that they were kind of way too high for him to reach. Luffy went to one of them and stood on his tiptoes, trying to reach it. After a few minutes of waving his small and short hand in the air like a madman, he tried jumping and on his sixth attempt, he managed to open it. With one more leap he pulled out a towel, toppling down the others on his head.

What a nice night, thought Luffy and with a pout, started removing the white towels from his head and putting them back in the cupboard. Well, at least he found dry ones and even a smaller one, which he supposed was for his hair. The fluffy towels were brand new and they smelled nice. The boy wandered if his brother does the laundry himself or brings it to a dry cleaning.

But there was a washing machine there so it probably was the first one.

Luffy took a shower and after drying his hair and smoking a cigarette on his balcony, which appeared to be really nice, the raven-haired boy found himself comfortably snuggled in a nest of sheets and pillows.

I can get used to this. The boy sighed contently, closing his eyes and cuddling into the nearest pillow.

And there was this clutter again. Luffy opened up his eyes and looked at the ceiling. There was a creaking sound, followed with a muted rattle. The silent noises were echoing deafeningly through the house. For a brief moment Luffy wondered if Ace was hearing it too. But no, there was no way.

It's a rat, thought Lu. Just a small, helpless, adorable rat with yellow, adorable teeth. Yup, adorable and cute. Fluffy, with soft years and it is whisking it's tail. Likes to chase balls and sticks and to carry them back to you, they are loyal friends… Okay, maybe he was thinking about a dog, but still.

The raven-haired boy pulled the covers up to his button nose. He closed his eyes and snuggled even more in his hand-made nest, curling up in a ball.

There was another rattle.

I-It's a r-rat.


The next day, Luffy woke up pretty early. When he had grabbed his phone from the bedside table, on its screen was written 5:37am. Pretty damn early, but he just didn't feel like sleeping more. So the boy rose up from his bed, shining brighter then the sun, which hadn't risen yet, with his messy black hair and sleepy eyes, and went to take a fast shower. After he was done, he went downstairs to make to himself, and to the sleeping Ace, coffee.

He didn't really know how his big brother liked his coffee so he made him a black one and ransacked the cupboards and the fridge for sugar, milk and cream. Luffy carefully placed the steaming mug on the bar. For a moment the raven-haired boy wondered if he should put a pad or something under the hot cup, because he didn't want the glass of the bar to crack, but after this decided that it was probably enough expensive to be thick enough and to not crack. Or at least he hoped so. He put the sugar and the other products next to the mug, adding an apple.

Luffy used to do breakfast every morning for Garp. Well Garp, insisted on having breakfast and coffee every morning. He would usually wake up early, before his grandfather, and he would make him scrambled eggs and bacon with a cup of coffee with a single lump of sugar.

Luffy would've liked to make Ace breakfast too, but he didn't know what his brother liked. Maybe he should ask him?

After he was ready with everything, the boy grabbed a green apple and his mug and went outside in the garden. It was really beautiful, but Luffy was surprised that there actually were any flowers in it, having in mind the crazy weather. But, indeed, there was a big circle made entirely of flowers, surrounding a gorgeous bower, in the middle of which was placed a big table that was perfectly made to accommodate to its shape. On the seats of the bower were placed many white pillows.

Luffy went carefully there, avoiding the muddy puddles, covering the ground. There were trimmed deep-green grass, rose-bushes and magnolias in the whole garden. The boy stepped on the grey stones that were making a path through the circle of flowers, which were creating a marvelous fragrance in the morning air.

Luffy reached the bower and unzipped the thin plastic cover, surrounding it, in order to get inside. He tied its ends to the pillars on both sides and went inside to sit on the tempting pillows. When he was comfortably seated and the mug and the apple were placed on the glass surface of the steel table, the boy took out of his shorts a pack of cigarettes and a blue lighter. Luffy lit up a cigarette and closed his eyes for a brief moment, to fell how the nicotine was rapidly filling his lungs. With supreme delight, he breathed the smoke out and opened his eyes to look around.

The borrow was really nice. It was made of steel and had a white roof. Its poles and the legs of the table were made to look like 3D tangles of lianas, ivies and roses. They were incredible works of art. Like everything in this house.

Luffy looked at the plastic cover, surrounding the borrow. Even it was so well made that at first, the boy didn't notice it and he wondered how for the God's sake Ace could leave white pillows like this in the merciless rain.

The raven-haired boy brought the cigarette to his slightly swollen, because of the cold weather, red lips and inhaled. He held the smoke in his mouth, playing, tasting it with his tongue. Oh, how much he loved the taste. For him it was like delicious tropical fruit, of which he just couldn't get enough. Maybe it was strange to most people who smoked just because, but he really enjoyed the palate of cigarettes. Not this of the flavored ones (well, Luffy didn't really mind them - after all, cigarettes are cigarettes), but this of the standard ones.

A hand grabbed Luffy's shoulder and the boy jumped.

"Calm down, it's me," said Ace, removing his big hand, which moments ago managed to cover his whole shoulder. The raven-haired boy looked up with wide eyes and was met with a sharp gaze and freckled face. His big brother was hovering over him in his pyjama and even with his pretty messed-up jet-black hair, he was still extremely handsome. Luffy wondered how he was doing it. In his right hand he was holding a cup of coffee, which probably was going to be steaming right now, if there wasn't the enormous red apple placed on top of it.

"Move to the side," calmly ordered Ace and Luffy nervously complied. His big brother sat next to him and removed the apple from the cup, only to bring it to his lips and bite a mouthful of it. A piece of the fruit escaped and got in the corner of Ace's mouth and his brother licked it away, continuing to chew it.

Luffy wasn't daring to take his eyes off of him, following his every movement. The boy didn't know if it was because of Ace's physique or just because of his powerful appearance and the imposing aura around him, which was somehow thickening the air, but with every second he was feeling smaller and smaller. Everything in his brother was speaking authority and arousing respect.

Ace noticed the boy staring at him and casted him a glance with the corner of his eye, arching his eyebrow in question. Luffy was brought back to Earth by this and embarrassedly looked away, almost dropping his cigarette in the process.

"Why are you so nervous?" asked Ace, his deep voice breaking the silence.

"U-um…" Luffy didn't know what to respond to this and just started to nervously fumble with the hem of his white T-shirt. They stayed like this for some more time. Outside of the borrow a high wind began to blow. The plastic cover was stopping it, but because of the opening which Luffy had left so the smoke of his cigarettes can get out, some cold air went inside and made the boy shiver.

This didn't go unnoticed by Ace, though, who eyed him from head to toe.

"You shouldn't have gone out like this. You'll catch a cold."

Luffy looked at his clothes. Well, his brother had a point. Aside of his thin T-shirt, he was wearing worn-out red shorts and his favorite sandals, because of which his feet were just a little bit muddy. Maybe it wasn't the best choice of clothing for cold and rainy weather, but he didn't really have any other suiting pieces of clothing. His last pair of jeans was wet and in the laundry-basket and his trainers were still soaked, so…

"I-I'm s-sorry," mumbled the raven-haired boy, worriedly wiggling on the big pillow.

"Don't be sorry, but you should've put at least a jacket on."

"I-I, u-um, a-am s-sorry."

Ace sighed and Luffy bit his lip, realizing his mistake. His big brother looked at him, taking a sip from his mug. He licked his red lips and said, "Thanks for the coffee, by the way, but next time don't bring out all of those products."

"I-I'm s-so-"

"Don't say it again," interrupted him Ace, bringing a hand to his head to rub his temples. "I meant it just wasn't necessary. I don't mind drinking a black coffee."

"I-I just d-didn't k-know h-how you l-like it, a-and t-that's w-why I, u-um," stuttered the boy with trembling voice sinking to a whisper. Ace kept his piercing eyes on him for a few seconds, taking in the bowed down head with a mop of short, messy jet-black hair that had sunk between his little brother's fragile and feeble shoulders.

"I don't want you staying outside till so late at night again," said Ace, averting his eyes from the small boy, and looked at the garden. "Clear?"

Luffy nodded hurriedly.

"Good," said Ace and stood up taking the now empty cup and the core of the apple with him.

Luffy watched him disappearing in the imposing house and couldn't stop himself from wondering if he had just made his brother angry or not.


REVIEW, HONS! xoxo